Petunia plant named ‘Sunhore’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Sunhore’, characterized by its outwardly spreading, mounded and decumbent plant habit; vigorous and freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; large coral pink-colored flowers with purple-colored venation; long flowering period; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunhore’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Sunhore.

The new Petunia is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Petunia×hybrida cultivar Revolution Marrose, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,904. The new Petunia was discovered and selected by the Inventors in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in April, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since October, 2000 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Sunhore have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunhore’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunhore’ as a new and distinct Petunia cultivar:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading, mounded and decumbent plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous and freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large coral pink-colored flowers with purple-colored         venation.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia differ from plants of the parent, the cultivar Revolution Marrose, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are smaller than plants of the         cultivar Revolution Marrose.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia have shorter internodes than plants         of the cultivar Revolution Marrose.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia have narrower leaves than plants of         the cultivar Revolution Marrose.     -   4. Flower petals of plants of the new Petunia have more rounded         apices than flower petals of plants of the cultivar Revolution         Marrose.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Revolution Brilliantpink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,914. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Petunia differed from plants of the cultivar Revolution Brilliantpink in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were smaller than plants of the         cultivar Revolution Brilliantpink.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had more rounded petal apices than         plants of the cultivar Revolution Brilliantpink.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and the cultivar Revolution         Brilliantpink differed in petal coloration as plants of the         cultivar Revolution Brilliantpink had red purple-colored petals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunhore’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Sunhore’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, in 15-cm containers for about four months in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse during the early spring with day temperatures about 18° C. and night temperatures about 14° C. Plants were pinched one time. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar Sunhore. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the     Petunia×hybrida cultivar Revolution Marrose, disclosed in U.S. Plant     Pat. No. 10,904. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About three weeks at 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, fleshy; light brown in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Annual flowering plant;             indeterminate; outwardly spreading, mounded and decumbent             plant habit. Viscid and glandular pubescent. Vigorous growth             habit. Freely branching habit with lateral branches             developing potentially at every node.         -   Plant height.—About 5.8 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 81.4 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 45.4 cm. Diameter: About             3.9 mm. Internode length: About 1.3 cm. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: 187A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 4.7 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:             Obtuse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire; undulate. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; viscid. Venation             pattern: Pinnate; reticulate. Color: Developing and fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: 144A; venation, close to             144C. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface:             144B; venation, close to 187A. Petiole length: About 2.6 mm.             Petiole diameter: About 1.2 mm. Petiole texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Viscid. Petiole color, upper and lower             surfaces: 144C occasionally overlain with 187A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers; flowers             face mostly upward or outward; axillary. Flowers not             persistent. Freely flowering habit with about 45 flowers and             flower buds per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, plants             flower from spring through late autumn in Japan; flowering             continuous during this period.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About five days.         -   Fragrance.—Moderate.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 7.6 cm. Length: About 5.2 cm.             Throat diameter (distal): About 1.7 cm. Tube diameter             (proximal): About 9 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm.             Shape: Cylindrical. Color: 59B; venation, N186B.         -   Corolla.—Quantity/arrangement: Five petals; fused,             funnelform. Petal length: About 2.8 cm. Petal width: About             3.8 cm. Petal shape: Very broadly obovate. Petal apex:             Obtuse. Petal margin: Entire; undulate. Petal texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth; satiny. Color: Petal, when             developing, upper surface: 54A; venation, 45B or N79A.             Petal, when developing, lower surface: 47C; venation, N79A.             Petal, fully opened, upper surface: 55C; venation, N79A.             Petal, fully opened, lower surface: 47C; venation, N79A.             Flower throat (inside): 76A; venation, N79A. Flower tube             (outside): 76B; venation, N79A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals             fused at base, star-shaped calyx. Length: About 1.9 cm.             Width: About 4.8 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Obtuse. Margin:             Entire; undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper surface: 144B. Color, lower surface:             Towards the apex, 144B; towards the base, 183A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 2.2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent; viscid.             Color: 184A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.             Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther length: About 1.8 mm.             Anther color: 77A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 90B.             Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About             1.8 cm. Style length: About 1.4 cm. Style color: 144A.             Stigma shape: Ellipsoidal. Stigma color: 144D. Ovary color:             144C.         -   Seeds.—Seed development has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     noted to be resistant to specific pathogens and pests common to     Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and tolerated     temperatures from 0° to 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Sunhore’, as illustrated and described. 